Rows upon rows of solar panels, all installed by robots—American solar energy startup Planted Solar has replaced human labor with machines, significantly reducing overall system costs by 50%. These robots can tackle varied terrain and boost power generation efficiency by at least double that of traditional solar panels. This innovation has garnered significant industry attention and has attracted investment from a climate foundation backed by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, poised to accelerate the expansion of the solar photovoltaic market.

Using robots for installation has tripled efficiency, while also saving space and materials.

Unlike conventional solar panels that require spacing for personnel installation and maintenance, Planted Solar's photovoltaic arrays are installed very closely together. They can adjust the mounting structures to fit the terrain, even on uneven land. According to their website, the company's solar modules can handle slopes of up to 27%, which helps lower land development costs and reduces environmental impact.

Planted Solar CEO Eric Brown stated in an interview with Bloomberg that traditional solar power plants require 5 acres of land to produce 1 MW of power, but Planted Solar only needs 2 acres. Considering the savings in construction materials, time, and land, the total system cost is nearly halved. Additionally, with automated robot installation and assembly, efficiency is tripled.

Founded in 2020, Planted Solar has already received significant recognition. Last year (2023), it won a $1.6 million prize from the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO). Additionally, it secured $20 million in Series A funding from Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy and Khosla Ventures.

Carmichael Roberts, a key member of the investment committee at Breakthrough Energy, stated that Planted Solar has ingeniously combined software and robotics technology, streamlining hardware design. This approach has the potential to revolutionize solar industry development and construction.

Solar Energy to Dominate Future Power Market, Planted Solar Expected to Scale Up Plans

The International Energy Agency believes that solar energy will dominate the global power market in the coming decades, currently accounting for three-quarters of the total renewable energy capacity. Bloomberg New Energy Finance estimates that solar power generation will grow by 25% in 2024, with new installed capacity exceeding 500 GW. Thus, maximizing power generation in limited space could be crucial for future development.

Brown revealed that the company's biggest challenge is turning pilot projects into real achievements. To address this, on the 18th, they announced a collaboration with distributed solar and storage developer Cultivate Power to launch an 11 MW solar project in Chicago. They hope to expand from the U.S. to other markets.

※ This article is republished with permission from "RECCESSARY." The original title is "Solar Installation Robots Go Live! How the Solar Startup Backed by Bill Gates Doubled Efficiency and Production Capacity," written by Lin Bo-Yu. Not applicable under CC Creative Commons licensing terms.

Reference:

*Planted Solar（2024.6.18），Planted Solar and Cultivate Power Announce 11 MW Community Solar Development in Chicago Metro Area to Deliver 2X the Energy per Acre over Conventional Solar Plants

*Bloomberg（2024.6.18），Robots and Specialized Software Open New Solar Farm Development Opportunities 

*PV Magazine（2024.6.19），U.S. startup claims doubled energy per acre with terrain-following solar array

Source: Environmental Information Center